Pune based CBRTI set to introduce beekeeping courses in Maharashtra

Beekeeping courses in Maharashtra – With the stated purpose of spreading awareness about the importance of honeybees, the Pune-based Central Bee Research and Training Institute (CBRTI) is contemplating on offering beekeeping courses to college and university students in Maharashtra, as per IE report.

Talks on commencing courses at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) are going on right now, while the Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, after showing interest in introducing the courses at academic institutions, directed university officials to tie up with CBRTI, noted the report.

Though the institute gives beekeeping training to farmers, both at introductory and advanced levels, this new initiative proposes to reach maximum people, particularly the youth.

“We are open to offering courses and designing syllabus suiting students at college and university levels. The courses will inform students about the agriculture cycle and corresponding breeding time of honeybees, kinds of bees and the flowers they use for gathering nectar. It will also cover the social and forestry aspects involved in commercial beekeeping,” CBRTI director, Deep Verma was quoted as saying by the report.

As agriculture colleges do not offer specialised beekeeping courses, the initiative also plans to take these courses to the colleges. Earlier this month, bee experts and former scientists from the Centre had conducted the maiden session for some city-based college students.

Once trained and gained expertise, the centre hopes to rope-in some of these beekeeping experts as ‘Bee Mitras’ (Friends of Bees), similar to Sarp Mitras (friends of snakes). Some master trainers have been identified and already sent filed tasks in Ratnagiri, Nashik, Pune, Dahanu, Kolhapur, Baramati, Talegaon, Raighad. Their primary responsibility involves monitoring beekeeping activities by people, who have purchased honeybee boxes, concurred the report.

“The Bee Mitras will be given charge of monitoring beekeeping activities at block-levels,” another senior scientist from the institute is quoted as saying by the report.

The Khadi Village and Industries Commission (KVIC) had set up a separate department namely Directorate of Beekeeping in Mumbai and Central Bee Research and Training Institute at Pune and started beekeeping in modern and scientific way throughout the country by establishing Filed Observation Stations/Zonal Beekeeping Extension centres now called as State Beekeeping Extension Centres in beekeeping potential sates in the country.

Training Programs for Beekeepers/ Farmers, wild honey collectors and beginners: The Institute is one of the premier centres for beekeeping training in the country and is recognized internationally as a beekeeping training centre for development conducted following courses with modern teaching aids.